4. Just Get In
A mistake I used to make a lot was meekly approaching the window and uttering the Brooklyn neighborhood I wanted to go to. This gave drivers ample time to drive off before I could start begging. You have to purposefully get in, shut the door, and give them a commanding look that makes them drive, like Miranda Priestly. Most of the time, this works. But I’ve had it backfire where they kick me out of the cab anyway, and I’m stuck in the rain with four soggy Trader Joes bags.
3. Know Where You’re Going
Sometimes the driver will only take you to Brooklyn if you tell him how to get there. If you can, look up directions on your phone before hailing a cab. Memorize a foolproof, simple way of getting back home. I used to consider having the words “Manhattan Bridge. Stay on Flatbush. Left on Myrtle. Right on Washington.” tattooed on my shoulder blade like Angelina Jolie since it had saved my life so many times.
2. Be Sad
I have the good fortune of looking perpetually miserable, which has worked in my favor when getting drivers to Brooklyn. A dour expression may suggest that being rejected from a cab is the last thing you need to push you over the edge. What if you had just been left at the altar? Or sued for medical malpractice? Put on a frown, and milk it for all its worth. Just make sure to always leave the cab with a cheery thank you, so the driver won’t feel like your own personal Charon across the River Styx.
1. Hail From the Correct Side of the Street
Sometimes it simply boils down to the fact that the driver doesn’t want to turn around. Find out the direction you have to go in, and make sure to hail the cab from the correct side of traffic. This small act of kindness may be just the thing to compel your driver to shatter years of tradition and make that trek into Brooklyn. This shows that you know your stuff and you’re willing to make compromises. These are prime qualities in both a life partner and an ideal passenger.
